Seattle Home Inspection Newsletter

Water problems and solutions under your home - by Seattle's Home Inspection Team

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The most common source of water under homes is ineffective downspouts and missing splashblocks or drains.
Inspect them regularly for failing mounts, crushed downspouts, and proper drainage.
Water in crawlspaces or basements can cause major damage. Many homes have water problems and the solutions can range significantly in cost to remedy. You always should start with the simple and cheapest solutions.

Gutters and Downspouts


Gutter mounts failing and the downspout is disconnected.
Keep downspout drains clear.

Everyone should walk around their homes in the worst weather, at least a few times a year and look to see how the gutters and downspouts are working. Moss, leaves or other debris can easily clog downspouts and gutters will overflow, possibly causing damage to roofs, fascia and soffits as well as flooding areas below grade.

Keep then cleaned and maintained, make sure all downspouts are discharging away from the building. If the water puddles next to the foundation, it is likely to end up in the basement of crawlspace. Make sure mounts are tight and there are no low spots along gutter runs.

Clean them at least once a year, usually after the leaves have dropped in fall. Some homes need more frequent cleaning.

Grading

If there is a negative grade (soil sloped to the home) water may puddle next to the foundation. Where possible, always have soil graded away from the structure. Consider repairing any concrete walks or patios that may slope to the home

Be careful with landscaping edging and planter boxes, as they often will cause water to puddle. Never allow downspouts to discharge in low areas like planters, but instead carry water several feet away from the building.

French Drains

This option is very effective at capturing water and draining it away before it can work its way under the home.

This is one example of a french drain

They can be expensive, so it is advised that you check the gutters, downspouts, splashblocks/drains and grading before opting for a french drainage system

Drains and Sump Pumps

In some homes where the water table is high and drainage is poor, you have to deal with the excess water with drains or pumps. Drains are useful when there is a suitable location to hookup the pipes to. Often times you are facing a situation where there is on location low enough to have gravity do the job, and in these cases a pump is the best answer.

We recommend that you consider a backup pump in situations where its failure can cause significant damage or flooding. If there is a power failure or the pump breaks down, the backup can be very important.

One type of a back up pump is powered by the water supply to the home. These have the advantage of mechanically simple, relatively inexpensive and can do the job until you repair the primary pump or the power is restored. This type of pump does waste water, so they are not to be used as a primary pump, only a backup.

See a video on installing a water powered sump pump here.

When the power goes out, you will be glad you have one!

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4 comments • JJ and Suzanne Greive - Seattle Area ASHI Inspections • June 07 2009 10:12PM

Window Fall Hazards - another safety tip from the Seattle Home Inspection Team

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Always keep small children away from open windows

With the warm weather we are enjoying it is important to consider the hazards to children with windows.  Every summer there are a spike of fall injuries of children when we open windows up to let fresh air in. 

Window screens have warnings on then informing consumers that the they are not to be considered fall safety devices. Most screens will come dislodged or tear with only moderate pressure. The view and fresh air are very appealing to young children.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that there have been 3200 children treated in hospitals and 25 deaths in 2007 from window falls. These accidents are easy to prevent.

All windows should have safety stops or barriers to prevent children from falling out of windows. These should be easily removable by older kids and adults in case of fire. Any window that opens and children have access to should be considered a falling hazard. No window that is accessible to children should open more then 4".

Many parents make the faulty assumption that a window screen will prevent this kind of accident.

Where a window can be opened from the top and bottom, always open only the top. It is much safer to open the top of a double hung window.

Never keep furniture near a window that a child can climb on and gain access to a window.


These tips brought to you by Home Inspection of Puget Sound,
your local independent Greater Seattle area home inspection team.
0 comments • JJ and Suzanne Greive - Seattle Area ASHI Inspections • June 02 2009 11:16PM

Laundry Safety Tips, brought to you by Seattle's Home Inspection Team

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We use laundry equipment everyday with out a lot of thought to the potential hazards they may pose. According the Consumer Product Safety Commission washers and dryers are responsible for more then $230,000,000 worth of property damage a year in the US alone. Most of the common problems at the root of these statistics are easy to address.

Power Cords

We found this dryer power cord on an inspection, notice it does not have a proper strain relief connector.

All dryers should have proper strain reliefs for the power cords


As with all power cords be careful when you use the plugs, but ESPECIALLY with large 240 volt connections. The plugs are large and require a bit of effort to insert, making it necessary to wrap your hand around the plug and it is easy to accidentally touch the conductors when inserting or removing them. This same advice applies to all large sockets like electric ranges, RV plugs, large tools etc.Metal braided hoses are much more burst resistiant then plain rubber hoses
Metal braided hoses are much more resistant to bursting.

Plugged dryer vents are a fire hazard
Plugged vents and hoses are a fire hazard.

This hot water heater is leaking combustion gasses into the home This hot water heater has exhaust rollout. Improper flue design or inadequate air supply can cause combustion gasses to vent into the home. If your heater has these stains please have it checked out.

 Dryers use a lot of power, and usually do not come with their power cords installed when you buy them. When hooking up a power cord, follow the manufacturers instructions, and be sure to have the proper strain relief fitting. Since dryers vibrate and can have sharp edges to the sheet metal enclosures, cords can short out, causing a potential fire or electrocution hazard.


Washing machine hoses

These hoses are under pressure all the time and can burst causing extensive water damage to the home. Since washers will jiggle when they operate the hoses can rub against the wall behind them. We always recommend the metal braided hoses for washers since they are much more burst resistant and less likely to be damaged by the movement of the appliance. Leave at least 4 inches of space behind the washer to prevent hoses from kinking or chafing and inspect them regularly. If you see any bulges, rust or any other damage, replace them right away.

Dryer vents and lint build up

It is recommended that you check and clean the dryer venting regularly. Use flexible metal pipe, not the foil or vinyl accordion type hoses, they are more likely to catch lint and have an increased risk of fire.
Read an article on cleaning dryer vents here.

Smoke detectors are important in laundry areas, since fires associated with dryers cause more then $80 million of damage a year. Be sure that dryers are properly vented outside and not leaking inside the home, attic or crawlspace as this moisture is a conducive condition for structural pests. If there is significant lint buildup inside, your dryer vent is likely leaking.

Fresh air/back drafting

When dryers run they exhaust a lot of air outside the home. This can produce a negative air pressure condition leading to a possible back-drafting of combustion gasses from furnaces, hot water heaters etc. This problem is especially true in modern energy efficient homes or confined spaces such as a closet. All homes with combustion appliances must have carbon monoxide detectors!
Read more about back-drafting hazards here.
GFCIs can prevent 2/3rds of all serious electric shocks and electrocutions

GFCIs

Then properly installed, GFCIs prevent two thirds of all serious electric shocks a year. All outlets with in 6 feet of water, (laundry, kitchens and bathrooms) in garages or outside should have GFCIs. They are cheap and easy to install and might save your life.
Read how install them here.

Explosion hazards

Keep flamables away from all appliances, especially gasoline!

Both washers and dryers have electric motors and other components that can produce sparks capable of igniting flammable vapors or gasses. Laundry equipment are sometimes in garages where there may be gasoline, paint, solvents, propane etc. Always store these chemicals in their original, properly labeled air tight containers. If there is a spill, DO NOT use any electrical appliance or garage door openers until it is cleaned up and all vapors have dissipated.


These tips brought to you by Home Inspection of Puget Sound,
your local independent Greater Seattle area home inspection team.
2 comments • JJ and Suzanne Greive - Seattle Area ASHI Inspections • June 01 2009 04:59PM

Earthquakes Survival Tips - From The Seattle Home Inspection Team

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Earthquakes are a part of life. You should be prepared, history tells us it will certainly happen again.

Utility Shut Offs -

Everyone should know where and how to turn off all utilities to your home. We will often see these shutoff locations inaccessible. Never block a gas meter shutoff valve, water shutoff or breaker panel! In an emergency you must be able to shut these off or risk fire, explosion, electrocution, serious water damage or even death.

Water -
The main shutoff for most homes is sometimes hard to find. Since these valves are rarely used they will often leak when you turn them off. For these reasons, we recommend that you locate your main shutoff at your water meter.

This valve is usually under a cover near the sidewalk or at the edge of the road. Open this cover and look for the valve, you will need a tool to turn this off. There are a couple types of valves, so it is important to look at yours and make sure you have the proper tool to turn off the water.

Most of then can be turned with an adjustable wrench, similar to the valve on a gas line. Others may require a special tool available at your local hardware store. If you are on a well, familiarize yourself with the equipment in your pump house so you know how to turn off the pump and water valves.

Natural Gas -
These shutoffs are located at the meter. It is best to have a wrench that is tethered to the meter, so you know it is there when you need it. If you have propane the tanks have shut off valves at the lines connecting them to the home or appliance.

If you ever smell a strong odor of gas (rotten egg smell) shut off the gas immediately, turn off the electricity (this can prevent explosions or fire) and open all the doors and windows. Call 911 for the fire department and the gas company to locate and isolate the gas leak.

Electricity -
You should know how to turn off the power to your home. Usually there is a main shutoff in the breaker panel or at the power meter. Occasionally there is no single main shutoff, in this case, turn off every breaker in the panel.

If your home has a fuse box there will sometimes be a shut off above or beside the box. If there is no shut off, then unscrew each fuse and lay them out in the same pattern as they were in the box. This is so you can replace each fuse in the proper location and not mix up the amperages of the circuits. Most older homes also have 2 or more pull out fuse holders, so remove these also.

Hot Water Heaters -
When there are earthquakes, water heaters will often fall over. All water heaters should be anchored to walls. These straps should be heavy steel, not flimsy 'plumbing straps'. A standard water heater can easily weigh over 400 pounds and plumbing straps are inadequate. Most people only worry about gas powered hot water heaters, but we are concerned with all of them. An electric heater that falls over will cause a huge leaking mess not to mention the power connected is typically 20 amps 240 volts! This can easily kill anyone that comes in contact with an electrified puddle.

Structural Concerns
 Many homes suffer significant damage when they shift off their foundations or the walls that attach the home to the foundations buckle. While it is no guarantee, proper anchor bolts, shear walls, and positive post to beam connections make a home much more resistant to the movement during an earthquake.

Anchor bolts -
Most modern homes have these installed when the concrete is poured. They also can be retrofitted after construction.

Another option is to have seismic anchors attached to the sill plates and bolted into the foundation. This type of retrofit can not only strengthen the home, but may make you eligible for a reduction in homeowners earthquake insurance rates.

Pony Walls -
Also known as cripple walls are susceptible to collapse in an earthquake. The lateral movement when the earth starts moving can cause this kind of failure.

Most homes only have diagonal wood bracing, and this is often not strong enough to resist collapse. Shear walls have plywood nailed to them as in the diagram below.

Post to Beam Connections, Joist Hangers -
A positive connection where post meet beams and where beam meet each other is usually a very simple step, it is an inexpensive fix and all connections should have them. Many structures and decks are lacking joist hangers, again, a simple and cheap fix that can save your life and help your home survive an earthquake.

More Information and Videos -
See this pamphlet provided by the city of San Leandro for more expert information on earthquake retrofits

These videos by Mark Benthien-Director of Communication, Education, and Outreach, Southern California Earthquake Center have some great tips on earthquake preparedness and survival

.

Also see videos on: Surviving an Earthquake and Earthquake Kits


These tips brought to you by Home Inspection of Puget Sound,
your local independent Greater Seattle area home inspection team.

1 comment • JJ and Suzanne Greive - Seattle Area ASHI Inspections • June 01 2009 04:42PM